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Wednesday, 27 June 2012

Service Changes

July 22nd sees a number of service changes including the withdrawal of route 15.

Route 1 received a timetable change with an reduction in running time. Just 11 minutes is now allocated for the Starr Gate to North Pier section. Some early morning journeys have been withdrawn as the tram now caters for these.

Route 2 is diverted via Staining with a 2.6 mile double adding time to the through journeys. No extra buses are required during the day, but one extra is needed evenings and Sundays.

Route 3 is extended to Cleveleys Park via Rossall Road and Cumberland Avenue replacing route 4 on this section. An extra bus is required (7 in total). Route 4 will now terminate at Cleveleys Square but still use seven buses. Sunday daytime 3 and 4 journeys will receive extra running time and share five buses.

In contrast to the 1, the 7 and 11 have extra running time added to address the reliability issues created at the last timetable change. 22 buses are now needed (rather than 21). Route 9 is retimed in the evening and no longer interworks with the 7 at these times but do on Sundays.

Route 16 is diverted at Bispham Road to run via Bispham Library, Ingthorpe Avenue, Ashfield Road (College), Whiteholme Road, Norcross Lane, Fleetwood Road, Castle Gardens, Tithebarn St to Poulton. This is supported by Lancashire County Council and replaces the part of the 15 they funded - though the new route does not serve either Kincraig Avenue (left to the 3) or Faraday Way (not served). Later journeys run from Poulton with the last bus at 1905, but the early finish remains from Blackpool with the final departure at 1748 (to Mereside). Sunday buses start at Bispham Library.

Route 17 is retimed with the end to end single trip time reduced from 50 to 40 minutes to save one bus. This is less than the 43 minutes with which the service was launched in 2010 when it started at Albert Road!

3 buses will be saved from this change - the extra two for the 3 and 7/11 offset by the saving of the four buses on route 15 and one on the 17. [corrected]